In Spite of it All
by YumeTakato
Summary: Accidental Sequel to But a Moment (referenced in-story), loosely using a Spite Date prompt. (Shinoko FRIENDship fic, character introspective) Blind Date's weren't supposed to make you think this hard, or make you feel this emotional.


In the grand scheme of things, she was a teenage girl who craved Love.

From a young age she imagined all of her Firsts and how _romantic_ and beautiful they would all be.

Then, as she watched her best friend grow up she came to daydream about _her_ firsts, because in her opinion, she _deserved_ the best _Firsts_ life could offer.

So what sort of cruel and unrelenting god kept placing _her_ in Lovey-Dovey _Firsts_ with the person she _shipped with her best friend?!_

 **-XXXX-**

Kudo Shinichi stared with the most put-out and bored expression on his face from across the all-too-frilly white-and-lace table at the person he Tolerated at best.

Suzuki Sonoko glared at the boy sitting across from her in silent rage as she dug into her large ice cream sundae (50% off for couples!) in annoyance, "So _why_ did you agree to this?"

Shinichi lifted his plain black coffee to his lips (the cup was fine china with roses all over it with a gold handle. He deserved the girliest cup they could offer, _the bastard_ ) as he mulled over her question a moment, "Kinoshita decided I'd been spending too much time around corpses and decided I needed to lighten up, so here I am. On a blind date. With you."

Sonoko narrowed her brows, "So you went along with his hairbrained idea and _signed up for it_?!"

"I didn't."

She stared at him, " _Seriously?_ And you came anyway?!"

He blinked confused, "What, would you have preferred to be the _one_ girl who'd signed up in the blind date lottery to be stood up?"

Sonoko couldn't help but stare at him for a moment before deflating and slumping in her seat, sulking, "You have a point."

He grinned for a second before frowning, "Why are you so upset? You dragged me to that gala the other time-"

She slammed a hand on the table, cutting him off and startling a few of the other patrons. Blushing, she gave him a long hard look, " _Don't_ mention that. While I _appreciate_ your efforts to cheer me up that night, _You_ like _Ran_. I don't want to become some random _bimbo_ getting in the way of your pure Love Story!"

Shinichi stared at his long-time... _acquaintance_ before he burst out laughing.

She growled, "This isn't funny! What if Ran finds out and gets the wrong idea?!"

After several minutes of her growing rage and his laughing at her he finally calmed himself down enough to give her a response, lazily leaning upon the table with his head propped on his fist with an interesting glint in his eye, "Sonoko. How long has Ran known us?"

She grit her teeth, "Preschool."

"And how poorly have we tolerated each-other over the years?"

"...Barely."

"Ran _already_ knows I was put up to this unwillingly, and _because_ the two of you talk often she was probably aware that you'd signed up for this _Blind Date_ thing, right?"

She sighed, leaning back in defeat glaring at him, " _Yes_."

He smiled, "Then why don't we have the best date ever? That way _Ran_ 's happy that _you're_ happy, and _we_ can rub it in everyone's faces without saying anything about what actually happened."

Sonoko blinked, "Not.. say anything?"

He grinned in such a way that her heart fluttered recalling a certain white-caped thief who wore the same sort of mischievous cheshire grin, "Who needs details if we make them believe we had the best date of everyone involved?"

She huffed and with a pout crossed her arms over her chest, "I hate you Kudo Shinichi."

"I hate you too, Suzuki Sonoko."

 **-XXX-**

Sonoko hated to admit it to herself again, but if Shinichi really put his mind to it, he could be a _real_ Gentlemen.

It just wasn't _fair_.

She wanted _Ran_ to be in her place, but she also understood his point.

Sonoko came to have a good time, and she realized Shinichi _really did_ need a break from the dead bodies that had seemingly started cropping up half the time he went out anywhere with Ran. The slow ease of his shoulders as they walked around told her as much.

They were at Tropical Land, (Shinichi muttering something about taking Ran there if she won the Championships,) walking around and taking in the different rides and attractions.

While she could have easily paid for everything herself, Shinichi insisted on treating her like a normal girl while making a quickly explained (and exasperated) phone call to his father about the credit card bill he was about to rack up. She'd faintly heard his father laugh at him from the other end before being hung up on with an annoyed huff from his son, but she appreciated his general sentiment.

Ran never used her for her money, and Shinichi treated her like anyone else. There were times growing up when she'd gain friends, only to realize they were only friends with her for her money. If it hadn't been for Ran, and later she had realized Shinichi also, she would have become bitter and cold toward anyone who might try to befriend her in the future. The two of them had kept her grounded, and could pass on enough wisdom or foresight to take a step away from those who just wanted to use her.

She owed her romanticism to them.

They were both her muse and salvation. She could Dream, and not be embroiled in the bitter rivalries of the rich and famous.

Shinichi poked her in the cheek, cutting off her internal musings, "Earth to Sonoko, you in there?"

She paused and reorientated herself, realizing she'd so completely spaced out that she's unintentionally trusted him to not only guide her to a place to sit, but also eat. She stared at the hot dog and soda in front of her confused, "Where did these come from?"

He stared at her with an upturned eyebrow, pointing at the hot dog stand behind him with a thumb, "The stand?"

Sonoko glared at him, "That's now what I-...Never mind." She picked up her still-fresh hot dog and dug in as he shrugged and did the same. Once their meal was finished she took a long sip of her Cola and leaned into her propped hand, "So, is there anything else you wanna look into you Holmes-Otaku?"

Shinichi blinked, "I heard about a fountain display and figured I'd ask your opinion on if Ran'd like it."

She raised an eyebrow, "I thought we were making this the best date ever?"

He smirked, "I don't think I can top kissing a crying girl in front of a glittering lit up fountain in the back of a flower garden to cheer her up all-too easily."

She huffed, understanding his point. So long as they had fun (and really, she _had_ enjoyed their day out musings aside,) there was still something oddly...lacking.

He stood and took care of their garbage before coming back over and taking her hand, "Come on. We're going to miss it if we don't start walking now."

She stood at the tug on her hand and his urging, "What, is it timed?"

He stared ahead still unconsciously holding her hand, "Yeah. It goes off once every hour."

Sonoko nodded, "Ah."

They walked in an amiable silence, the general noise around her fading away as she suddenly focused on the sky as the sun began to set. The sky was slowly becoming an array of colors, the clouds reflecting oranges, pinks, and purples. She smiled, unintentionally holding Shinichi's hand a little more firmly as he guided them through the crowds without incident. His hand was warm, and she slowly realized how different his hand was from her's. The slight scratchiness of the callouses he'd reluctantly developed from playing violin over the years to be more like his idol Holmes, the difference in size compared to her own, and-

Oh God, she was seriously over-thinking this date. It was slowly becoming too _real_.

She could _not_ , under _any_ circumstance, crush on _Shinichi_.

He was her best friend's _love interest_!

Hell, she'd not only planned their wedding and honeymoon, but the names of _all 5 of their future children_!

She _shipped_ them without remorse. She participated with her classmates in calling them husband and wife. She was getting way too-

"Sonoko."

She jolted, turning her head in his direction and hating him all the more for making her feel this way, " _What?_ "

He tilted his head in confusion before shrugging, "You're over-thinking things."

Sonoko stared at him as a sense of foreboding set in, "Uhm, _what?_ "

Shinichi rolled his eyes, "You were monologuing."

She stared at him in horror, _Lord may the ground open up from under her and take her now_ -

"We're teenagers." He continued as he looked ahead steadfast into the sunset she had just been admiring allowing her to keep some of her dignity in tact, "We can hate easily and love easily. You're a romantic. I'm way too cynical, and neither of us would _ever_ hurt Ran on purpose. I. Love. Ran. No one will _ever_ replace her in my heart, but you know what? It's ok. I said it earlier didn't I? We're going to have the _best date ever_ , and then leave everyone guessing. A date wouldn't be worth it if there weren't any feelings in it."

Sonoko belatedly felt tears run too-hot down her cheeks as she felt ashamed of herself, "I really _Hate_ you, Kudo."

Shinichi turned and looked her dead in the eyes. They were too blue, and too mature for her. They were mesmerizing, and she couldn't find the strength to look away from his intense gaze and found herself becoming even more bitter with him over it. Reaching forward he raised a hand to her face and cupped it, wiping away her tears, "I might find you seriously annoying, Suzuki Sonoko, but you're one of the kindest people I know. If for whatever reason I found that I couldn't be by her side, I know I can trust you to keep Ran's spirits up in my absence."

She leaned into his hand confused and muddled, "Kudo-"

"Will you promise me, if anything happened, to keep Ran happy if I'm ever away?"

Finally breaking his gaze, she nodded, "Of course stupid, she's my best friend. I wouldn't let her mope around over a Holmes-Otaku like you."

He smiled, "Thanks."

 **-XXX-**

Just like that night at the gala half a year ago, they never really spoke about what happened during their trip to Tropical Land. Somehow after their short weekend from school, things were simply as they'd always been between the two of them. They both made a good show of saying how wonderful their Blind Date was without actually dropping names or giving away too much information.

The coordinators of the event had been both sworn to secrecy as well as in deep trouble with the school board for creating such a thing, and after about a week all talk of the mass blind date event had stopped circulating in lieu of the upcoming karate championships.

But Sonoko never forgot her promise.

And she hated him for it not long thereafter when he disappeared without a trace.


End file.
